During the day on December 31st and lasting into the morning of January 1st, 2020 a moist northwesterly flow off the Pacific enhanced over a warm front into widespread snow over the Idaho Panhandle. Heavy snow accumulations were noted across the mountains of north Idaho as well as in the valleys from Coeur D'Alene northward.
Every event with a place to put it; 14 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS OTX wrote it up.
During the day on December 31st and lasting into the morning of January 1st, 2020 a moist northwesterly flow off the Pacific enhanced over a warm front into widespread snow over the Idaho Panhandle. Heavy snow accumulations were noted across the mountains of north Idaho as well as in the valleys from Coeur D'Alene northward. Farther south over the Palouse region and Camas Prairie snow amounts were lighter and in the range of 1 to 2 inches.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Spokane, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 31, 3:45 AM PST, 15 minutes earlier.
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Spokane WA 614 AM PST Mon Dec 30 2019 IDZ001-004-WAZ037-038-042-311415- Northern Panhandle-Central Panhandle Mountains- Northeast Mountains-Okanogan Highlands- East Slopes Northern Cascades- 614 AM PST Mon Dec 30 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North Idaho... North Central Washington and Northeast Washington. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY Beginning on Tuesday the weather pattern becomes quite active. Periods of heavy mountain snow and occasional moderate to locally heavy valley snow are likely particularly on Tuesday and again Thursday night. IDZ002-003-026-027-WAZ031>036-041-043-044-311415- Coeur d'Alene Area-Idaho Palouse-Lewiston Area- Lewis and Southern Nez Perce Counties-Northeast Blue Mountains- Lower Garfield and Asotin Counties-Washington Palouse- Moses Lake Area-Upper Columbia Basin-Spokane Area-Wenatchee Area- Okanogan Valley-Waterville Plateau- 614 AM PST Mon Dec 30 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North Idaho... North Central Idaho...Central Washington...East Central Washington...North Central Washington...Northeast Washington and Southeast Washington. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY For New Years Eve and beyond the weather will become increasingly active and wet with periods of light to moderate overnight and early morning snow and afternoon rain around the region. Windy conditions are possible on Wednesday across the Columbia Basin.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
14 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
An observer near Mica recorded 4.7 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
An observer 4 miles east of Spirit Lake recorded 5.5 inches of new snow accumulation.
An observer at Hope recorded 8.8 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
An observer 6 miles southeast of Clark Fork recorded 5.9 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
An observer 10 miles north of Sandpoint recorded 5.5 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
An observer 13 miles northeast of Sandpoint recorded 6.1 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
An observer at Dover recorded 5.0 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
A weather spotter 6 miles south of Elmira reported 6.8 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
A member of the public in Rathdrum reported 5.5 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
A member of the public 2 miles east of Laclede reported 8.0 inches of new snow accumulation.
The Lookout Pass Ski Resort reported 7 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
The Silver Mountain Ski Resort reported 9 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
An observer at Avery recorded 4.2 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
A member of the public at Cataldo reported 5.0 inches of new snow accumulation from this storm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Idaho in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, December 2019
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 868326, 868327, 868328, 868329, 868330, 868331, 868332, 868334, 868335, 868336, 868323, 868324, 868325, 868333.